The Past Resurfaces
by M.Kena
Summary: Recovering from their last job in Wenatchee, Dean gets a call from New Orleans, where he did a solo job helping a family and their voodoo practicing mother. Companion to The Bandage Cuts Me Deeper.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** The Past Resurfaces

**Summary:** Recovering from their last job in Wenatchee, Dean gets a call from New Orleans, where he did a solo job helping a family and their voodoo practicing mother. Companion to The Bandage Cuts Me Deeper.

**A/N:** Taken directly from The Bandage Cuts Me Deeper. (Characters mentioned in this story are also mentioned in The Ghost of You).

**Chapter one; I Cry Your Name **

Dean woke up in a hot sweat. His chest heaving, his body trembling, he half climbed half fell out of bed. Sleeping Beauty didn't even stir when Dean's muscular frame fell to the dusty carpeted floor of the motel. Dean groaned as his body ached with a dull pain, much like it would after a day of aerobic exercise, but it had been a week since the brothers had done anything but research.

He struggled to his feet and staggered into the bathroom. He didn't even turn on the light, instead turned on the shower and peeled off his sticky clothes. He stepped into the cold shower and let the steady stream of ice cool him down. As the water pounded against his forehead he breathed deeply, trying to calm himself. Something was wrong. Dean Winchester didn't panic for no reason. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

"Dean." Sam yelled groggily and pounded on the door. "Dean, are you okay?" Dean pulled back from the cold stream and wiped the water from his face.

"Yeah Sam, I'm fine!" Dean answered. "Just go back to bed!" Dean yelled. He waited for a moment, sensing that Sam was still standing outside the door. Dean turned off the shower and stepped out to open the door a crack. He stuck his face out and looked at Sam, dressed sloppily in yesterday's tee-shirt and his boxers. His hair was flat against his head on one side, and sticking straight up on another. "You want to watch?" Dean growled impatiently. Sam shook his head and shuffled his feet back to bed. Dean listened to hear the telltale sound of groaning bed springs before he shut the door again.

The shower didn't look so friendly anymore. Dean turned off the water and grabbed a towel. As he held out his arms to dry them off, his ring caught a reflection of light and twinkled for a brief second.

"Janie…" Dean breathed heavily. Dean blinked as his eyes began to sting. He rubbed away the sensation and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He still hated what he saw, but not so much as to bust his knuckles on the glass again. That hadn't been one of his smartest moments. "You don't cry over girls." Dean whispered to himself. "Girls cry over you." He assured himself. He could tell himself that all day.

He almost believes himself.

&&&

"Dean, your phone." Sam groaned as the cell phone vibrated against the thick wood of the nightstand. "Dean." Sam repeated. Again, there was no answer. Sam blindly grabbed for the phone and succeeded in knocking it to the floor. He sighed and sat up. The bed next to him was empty. "Dean?" Sam asked loudly. No answer. Sam leaned off the bed and grabbed the phone. The name that flashed across the front LCD was "restricted".

His throat became Sahara dry. Maybe it was their father again. Maybe he had found the thing in Sacramento. Maybe he was asking for their help. Maybe Sam was going to get to apologize. To get his revenge. Sam answered.

"Hello?" He asked, his voice basically trembling with anticipation.

"Dean?" It was a girl's voice. A sweet voice that almost reminded him of Marie, but not nearly as innocent. That voice had some sass to it. "God, took you freaking long enough to answer your phone. What were you doing? Pleasuring yourself? You're a sad man." Sam cleared his throat. "Oh, don't tell me you don't recognize my voice…"

"Uh…"

"It's Eve, thanks, I love you too." She laughed. "So, how have you been?" Sam looked around the room… he knew he shouldn't, but he didn't exactly tell her it was Dean. He just didn't bother to correct her.

"Okay." Sam explained. There was a pause.

"You sound different, are you sick?" She asked, concern in her sassy voice. It sounded out of place in that voice full of disrespectful attitude.

"It's five o'clock in the morning Eve, you woke me up." That was pretty Dean. Sam smiled, he knew his brother pretty well. Eve made a clicking sound with her tongue.

"Well excuse me." She said in a high voice. She paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "Okay, there is a serious reason for me calling you out of the blue like this." She explained.

"What's wrong?"

"It's my sister…" She whispered. "I know you two haven't talked much… and I know you got her letter…" Sam looked around the room. He was certain Dean was going to burst in any moment… who knew what would happen to Sam then. He'd probably be one of the many missing people on the news tomorrow.

"But she never stopped loving you Dean, and I know you… you don't let go of the people you love." She stopped again. "You there?"

"What's wrong?" Sam asked, pushing her to finish the story. It was kind of like coming into a novel series at the fifth book and being almost completely lost. Sam was on novel five and she was talking about two and three.

"She's sick, Dean. And you know her… she didn't want anyone to know. I only know because she collapsed at dinner last weekend. She refuses to get help and now she's gone off and locked herself in her room…" She snorted. "She's as stubborn as hell… but I think… I know, she'd come out for you. Maybe, maybe you can talk her into getting help. Dean's she's going to die. The doctors said they could give her another year or more… Dino, please? I need my sister." If the moment hadn't been so dreary Sam might have laughed… looked like he wasn't the only one with a nickname anymore. Sam sighed, suddenly feeling extremely wrong for even having this conversation, and also a little sad. Dean had this entire life Sam had no idea about.

Now he knew how Dean felt.

"Let me talk to my brother, but I'm sure we'll be there in a few days. Don't worry." Sam whispered.

"Thanks… We've really missed you." She added. "See you in a while."

"Bye." Sam shut the phone and dropped it on the bed and put his head in his hands. Sam was never the kid who listened in on phone calls, but of course the one time…

The door opened and Dean walked in with a cup of coffee. Sam looked at him from the bed and watched him walk to the kitchen. Dean didn't even acknowledge his presence.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked worriedly. Dean nodded and drank from the coffee, still not looking at him. Sam sighed. "Where did you go… Dino?" Sam said softly. Dean dropped the coffee. There was a moment of painful silence before Dean turned around, his face red.

"What the hell did you just call me?" Dean asked, his voice startlingly calm. It was the calm before the storm, before Hurricane Dean struck and ripped Sammy to bits. Sam picked up the phone.

"Who is Eve, Dean?" Sam asked, holding the phone out in Dean's general direction. Dean walked towards the phone, but Sam pulled it back. "Who is she?"

"No one! Sam give me my phone!" Dean ordered. Sam handed Dean his phone and he quickly checked his recent calls. "Did she call?" Dean asked quietly. Sam nodded, just once. Dean swallowed and sat down before his knees gave out. He took a deep breath.

"What… di… what for?" Dean asked, his voice wavered slightly. Sam raised his eyebrows and looked at the carpet. He took a deep breath.

"Apparently her sister is sick." Sam didn't miss Dean's sharp intake of breath, but he decided not to point it out. "Who is she?"

"You know that job… the one I did without Dad in New Orleans?" Dean asked. Sam nodded. "Well she was it… her Mom was into Voodoo, but her sister," Dean paused, Sam wasn't sure if he was smiling… or if he had gas or something. "Well, she was a perk."

"Don't be an ass Dean, you loved her, didn't you?" Sam asked. Dean looked at him. "Don't pretend Dean, be honest for once, why don't you?"

"I don't know if I loved, but I cared about her." He sighed. Sam stood up.

"Well we're going to New Orleans then." Sam insisted. Dean frowned. "Don't act like you don't want to go."

&&&

Dean wanted to say something, but he couldn't exactly think over the loud Blue Oyster Cult booming in the car. It was some weird music, but it pretty much went along with their lives. He looked over at Sam who was staring out the front window, his head pressed against the cool window. Dean turned the knob and actually turned the music _down._

"So, um… thanks." Dean said in a gruff voice. Sam smiled slightly and nodded. He shrugged the shoulder not pressed against the Impala door.

"Hey, you'd do the same for me." Sam said quietly. Dean nodded. "Besides, I figure I owe you… after, everything… you know." Dean did know. His chest was still a scarred up from all that knowledge.

"We're even now though." Dean insisted. Sam smiled and nodded, but Dean heard him whisper.

"Not even close."

&&&

"This is it?" Sam asked as Dean stopped the car. Dean nodded and looked at the little yellow house. "Well…"

"Give me a minute." Dean snapped. He took a deep breath and gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles. The front door opened and Dean sunk down in his seat. He looked over at Sam and pushed his head down. "Get down." Dean hissed. Sam watched as a young black woman with her hair tied up in a knot on the top of her head, skinny dark jeans and a white tank top walked out of the house, a little child in her arms. It was a little girl in a pink dress and her curly hair in pigtails. The woman set her child down and watched her run around on the lawn. It took her a moment, but she finally saw the Impala. She put her hands on her hips and walked over. Dean groaned and sat up higher.

"Dean, freaking, Winchester!" She screamed when he opened the door. Dean smiled meekly and leaned against the Impala. She ran and threw her arms around him. "How the hell are you?" She asked loudly. "God, you got here fast!" Dean nodded.

"Thank Sammy for that." Dean said and threw a thumb back at Sam who had just stepped out of the car. The woman looked over Dean's shoulder at Sam. She smiled.

"So this is your little brother?" She asked and walked over to him. She looked him up and down. "He's not so little… geesh Dean, you never said he was so handsome." Sam smiled. Dean cleared his throat.

"He's related to me, I didn't know it had to be vocalized." Dean said quietly. Sam had never seen his brother so timid before. "Eve, where is Janie?" Eve sighed and looked at Dean, her hands slipping into her pockets. She was about to answer when something else caught her attention.

"Angela, don't you put that in your mouth!" She yelled and ran towards the little girl who was about to put a handful of fertilized dirt into her mouth. Eve picked her up and hit the dirt out her hand. She put her face close to her look-alike daughter's and shook her head. "No, icky, we no eat dirt." She cooed and set Angela on her hip. She walked back over to Dean and cocked her head towards her hip growth. "Look what I did." She said proudly. Dean smiled and ran a finger down the little girl's cheek. She smiled shyly and buried her head against Eve's neck.

"You and Josh?" Dean asked. Eve nodded. "Where is he?" Eve smiled slightly and kissed Angela's cheek. "Oh Eve, I'm sorry." She shrugged.

"Hey, being a soldier like his father was his dream. I'm proud that he did it… I just miss him everyday. He writes, but it's not the same. Angie misses her Daddy." Eve explained. Sam was looking around the neighborhood. Eve noticed his wandering eyes. "Yeah, we were lucky too. You should see the damage Katrina did to our uncle's house." Sam looked at her. "Okay skinny boys, come inside and eat something." Sam smiled, but Dean grabbed her arm.

"Where is she?" He whispered. Eve looked at his hand until he pulled it back. "Eve, please?" Eve sighed heavily and bounced Angela on her hip.

"The motel, in that same room… please just don't tell her I called you." She whispered. Dean nodded and then looked at Sam.

"Stay here?" Dean asked. Sam looked at him. "Sammy…"

"Fine, fine." Sam grabbed his bag from the backseat. "Call me if anything happens." Eve laughed.

"Oh trust me, if Janie wants to kill him he won't have time to get his cell phone out. But if she wants to do what I think she wants to do, Dean definitely won't be calling you." She chuckled. "Come inside and I'll show off my excellent culinary abilities." Dean rolled down his window.

"Sammy, lots of ketchup." He advised before driving off.

&&&

His hand lingered above the door. He wanted to knock, but something stopped him. He was about to turn away.

"Dean?" Someone asked softly. Dean turned and someone gasped. Dean closed his eyes as he heard glass shatter and paper crinkle. He looked down and saw a mess of dropped grocery bags on the ground. Dean immediately dropped down to pick them up.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to startle you… I just wanted to…" He felt a hand slide under his chin and tilt his face upward.

"Dean…" She whispered. It's like a magnet and Dean's lips were pulled to hers. They stood, still kissing and he lifted her up, her legs wrapping around his waist. He stepped on the half broken carton of eggs and smooshed the bread and the bananas, but hell, neither of them are hungry… at least not for food. He struggled with the doorknob and then set her down and almost kicked the door open, but she put a frail, shaking hand on his chest. "What… what are you doing here?" And the moment broke with the eggs. Dean shoved his hands into his pocket.

"I came to see you." He said softly, looking at the ground, rocking back and forth. She smiled and bit her lower lip. "I wouldn't be smiling, I know you're sick." She wasn't smiling anymore. "Why the hell didn't you tell me, Janie? I would have run back here…"

"I know you would have Dean." She said absently as she unlocked her room and left the door open so he could come in. "But I didn't want you to." She explained. "You got my letter, didn't you?" He nodded.

"I did. I think it's a load of lies though. You still love me."

"I hate that about you, Dean."

"What, that I'm always right?"

"No, that you're so damn cocky. It's not becoming." She said angrily and took off her jacket. She was skin and bones. Dean shut the door and walked towards her, when he got too close she took a step back. "Don't. Don't come back here and act like everything can be fine between us again." She whispered, boring holes in the ground with her eyes.

"Fine, I won't. But I want to get you some help." Dean explained. Janie shook her head, tears spilling out of her eyes.

"Dean, please just leave." She begged. Dean stepped towards her and she took another step back. "Dean… please? I'm begging you, just leave." Dean froze. That wasn't a broken girl's plead to save her sanity… it was a lover's plea to save the object of her affection. "Get out… before it's too late." She whispered.

"Janie, what's going on…?" Janie closed her eyes and Dean turned. As he did so he got the butt of a gun to the face. He fell hard and before his senses deserted him he saw a thin woman in a billowy dress and long dreadlocks leaning over him.

&&&

"So, do you pretend to be your brother a lot?" Eve asked as she sat down across the table from Sam. He almost choked on the incredibly dry turkey sandwich. He looked at her.

"Wh… what are you talking about?" Sam asked, his innocence highly credible. Eve smiled.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm not mad and I won't tell Dean." She explained. "But please, I haven't known Dean for more than a year, but I know him enough to know he would never forget my, or my sister's name." She explained and pushed him a tall frosty beer. "Thanks for getting him to come here." She whispered and stood up. She looked out the window and as she sighed, a shiver ran up Sam's spine.

Eve turned to him, tears in her eyes. "I'm just so sorry that you'll have to leave alone." Suddenly it felt as if Sam's throat was closing. The world tipped to the left and then suddenly to the right. Sam lost his balance and slid off the table. He landed on the floor.

He watched from the freshly scrubbed—he could tell because it smelled strongly of lemon—floor as a pair of blue flip flops came closer, the toes were a blur of bright pink. Eve squatted down in front of him, waving a small blue vial in his face.

"Sorry Sammy, but I can't lose my sister." She whispered and set the bottle down in front of his face.

But before Sam could read it and know if he was ever going to wake up again, he fell off the world.

&&&

"God, maybe I shouldn't have fed you." Eve grunted as she slipped her hands under Sam's armpits and lifted his deadweight partially off the floor. She sighed and dropped him. "Josh!" She yelled.

Josh came around the corner with Angela in his arms. She smiled at him and then looked distastefully at Sam. "Boo?" She asked and stuck out her bottom lip. Josh handed Angela to her mother and lifted Sam up and threw the taller, older, boy over his shoulder. Eve pressed her nose against Angela's face.

"What wrong?" Angela asked, pointing to Sam. Eve looked at Sam and then smiled at Angela.

"He's sleeping, baby." She explained. "Just a little nap." She gasped theatrically. "Which reminds me, it's someone else's N-A-P time." She explained. Josh also gasped theatrically. "Let's see who can fall asleep first! Okay?" She asked. Angela nodded. "I'll put you in your crib and you have to fall asleep really fast!" She nodded again. "Okay, go." Eve took off down the hall, Angela giggling in her arms.

Josh smiled to himself and carried Sam to the door and waited for his girlfriend. Eve came around the corner, her smile gone. She shook her head. "I hate doing this… Dean has done so much for us." She whispered. Josh sighed and laid Sam's body down gently. He walked to Eve and ran his hand down her cheek.

"Hey, I know… He saved me to, he brought us back together." He wrapped his arms around her. "But you have to ask yourself, who means more to you?" Eve sighed. "We can still stop this. All we have to do is wake," He looked at Sam "him up. And he'll help us stop her." Eve shook her head.

"She'd kill you." Eve whispered and kissed him softly. "I couldn't deal with that." Josh sighed heavily. "What?" He looked at her and kissed her forehead. He forced a smile.

"I just… I just can't promise I won't do something stupid." Josh whispered. Eve smiled back.

"Yeah well, neither can I." She pulled away. "Now, pick up that boy and carry him to the car. We have to get him far away from here."


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** The Past Resurfaces

**Summary:** Recovering from their last job in Wenatchee, Dean gets a call from New Orleans, where he did a solo job helping a family and their voodoo practicing mother. Companion to The Bandage Cuts Me Deeper.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter two; I'd Die for You**

Dean opened his eyes slowly. Everything was a distorted mass of gray. He blinked once and the contours of the walls came into a slight focus. He blinked again and it became clear. He was in a basement type room. No windows, cement walls, and one door. There was one light hanging overhead, much like a light bulb hanging from a string.

He could see a shadow in the far corner of the room. Who ever it was, was crying, their shoulders were shaking and Dean could hear their gasping breaths. Dean tried to yell to them, but his tongue brushed against fabric and when he bit down the rubbing of wet cloth made his skin break out in goose-bumps. He tried to untie it, but found his hands were strapped down to something. He tried to turn his head to look, but he had a strap across his forehead as well.

Upon farther investigation by squirming, Dean found out his ankles, thighs, and waist all had thick straps across them, securing him to a cold metal gurney. The gurney was tilted backwards in an awkward degree; he was stuck somewhere between standing up and leaning back far enough to fall. He also discovered he was just in his boxers. Thank God for that. Whoever was in the shadows was looking at him now, and he wasn't exactly sure he wanted to bare all in front of shadow-man.

He struggled against his binds, grunting as he did so. Shadow-man lifted his head. Dean watched as he stepped from the shadows. Well, he had been wrong about it being a man, and if he had been naked, it would be nothing new to Shadow-man, or actually to Janie.

"Ahnee!" Dean yelled through the gag. She got close enough for Dean to see the tears rolling down her pale cheeks. She reached up to his face and he jerked his head back, but found out painfully it had nowhere to go but against the hard metal of the gurney. She pulled the gag down so it was around his neck. "Why are you doing this?" Dean asked her. Janie smiled meekly at him.

"I'm sorry Dean." She whispered. Dean almost rolled his eyes. He didn't care if she was sorry. He just wanted to know why, and what.

"That's great Janie, but why the hell are you doing this to me?" Dean asked, surprised to find he was holding back tears of anger, confusion, and of heart break. She put her hand on his face.

"I'm dying Dean… My mother, she won't let that happen." She explained. "She found this spell in her old family book. It can save me, but we need something." She stopped.

"What… what do you need?" Dean asked, fearing the answer. The overhead light flickered and Janie took a step back, the dark shadowing the pockets of her face. He didn't recognize who she had become. He didn't love this girl, not anymore. This wasn't Janie.

"She needs your heart." Someone said as they stepped into the room. Dean knew that voice anywhere. He struggled against the ties again.

"Kera!" Dean growled. "I should have known you were still going to screw with things…" He looked at Janie. "I always thought your mother was a bitc…" Kera threw her hand in his direction.

"Silence!" She ordered. And Dean shut up. Not because he wanted to, but because the words froze in his throat. Kera smiled. "I've learned some things Dean." She laughed. "Lots of things actually." She walked over to him and stood directly in his face. "Ooh, don't think I don't know what you're saying just because you're not screaming them in my face." She whispered. "That word is insulting Dean, I prefer bitter witch." Janie was sobbing. She turned to her daughter. "Oh Jane, I know you loved this boy, but it's the only way you can live." She put her hand on her daughter's cheek. "I will not bury my daughter."

"Starting the party without us?" Eve asked as she walked in the room, Josh right behind her. Dean's heart dropped. Even Eve, the girl he almost thought of as a sister. She had betrayed him. And Josh. He had saved the goddamned kid's life and almost lost his in the process. Eve looked at Dean and mouthed "I'm so sorry." Dean looked at the ground and clenched his teeth angrily.

Kera traced her youngest daughter's sightline. She waved her hand at Dean absently. "Oh I silenced him." She explained. "So don't even bother with goodbyes, he won't be able to return them." Eve looked at her feet. "What? Having second thoughts?" Eve nodded lamely and Kera smacked her across the face so hard Eve's head snapped to the side. Josh made a movement like he was going to dive on Kera, but he stopped himself when Eve shook her head. Kera laughed and looked at Josh.

"Oh, were you going to kill me?" Kera asked. Josh shook his head and Kera walked to him, placing her hand on his chest. "I almost disposed of you once before… you really want to get on my bad side now?" She asked. Janie helped her sister to her feet.

"Mom, don't." Janie begged. Kera looked at Janie and then back to Josh. She narrowed her sapphire eyes.

"You are lucky." She whispered and pulled her hand back. Eve hurried to her boyfriend's arms and he held her protectively. "Did you dispose of his brother?" Dean lifted his head up and fought wildly when Eve shook her head. He wanted to scream, to yell, to do something. If they hurt Sam…

"Do you want to say something?" Kera asked. She pointed at Dean. "Talk." Dean breathed out when the pressure on his throat disappeared.

"Where is Sam?" Dean asked. Eve looked at him.

"He's safe Dean." Eve whispered. "We didn't hurt him, I promise." Dean closed his eyes and sighed with relief. "Mom, maybe we should just find some other way. Dean saved me once, we owe him." Kera shook her head.

"He offered Janie his heart once, we have to have permission."

"Well I take it back!" Dean yelled. "She can't have it!" Kera narrowed her eyes at Eve, she looked at Dean and stepped towards him. "Ha, how do you like that?" Dean asked. He saw Eve and Josh smile.

"Well, I can change your mind." She placed her hand on Dean's bare chest. It pressed on him like an anvil, pressing all the air from his lungs. She smiled. "Ever since you started dating my daughter, I've dreamed of seeing you squirm."

&&&

Sam sat up as soon as his eyes opened. "Dean!" He yelled instantly. He looked around. He was in the Impala. It was parked along the highway. It was off, but the keys were in the ignition. His bag was in the passenger seat, and there was a note taped to the steer wheel. Sam ripped it off and held it in shaking hands. He didn't even have any lucid thoughts right now. All he could focus on was that Dean was not in the car. And that pounding pain in the back of his head, like he had been dropped on tile floor or something.

He read the note;

_Sam, _

_If you get this before midnight there may still be time to save your brother. _

Sam looked at the clock. It was eleven twenty two. He still had time.

_Janie is dying, lymphoma, she has two weeks left. Kera thinks the only way to save her is to give her a potion made from the blood of someone who gave their heart to Janie. That's Dean. _

Sam's stomach turned inside out. His heart jumped into his throat and pounded in his ears. He felt his face flush. Dean was in danger. He was all alone. And Sam didn't know how to help.

_We'll be in the basement of the white church on the corner of Palfrey and Eighth. Kera is powerful. You have to destroy her book. That's the only way to stop her. Your brother saved me once, I won't let this happen to him. _

The letter wasn't signed, but Sam didn't need to know who it was. But he was grateful towards them. They may have just given him his brother back. Sam started the car and sped off, not bothering to signal or even check for other cars.

He had one thought. Save Dean. That was all he needed.

&&&

Whatever she was doing hurt like hell. Dean would definitely take getting shot with a shotgun shell full of rock salt over this. Dean closed his eyes and clenched his jaw, arching his back to the point the binds were digging painfully into his skin.

Eve buried her face into Josh's chest and he held her tightly, turning away from the scene, protecting her from it. Janie leaned against the wall. Josh looked at her with hate in his eyes.

"How can you let her do this?" Josh asked. Janie looked at him.

"What would you do if you were dying Josh?" Janie asked him. Josh looked back at Dean and then at her.

"I'd find another way. This is wrong." Eve whimpered when she heard Dean groan in pain. Josh rested his chin on Eve's head and shushed her.

Kera put her hand down and took a deep breath. Black magic wasn't exactly easy, especially for a woman in her fifties. She leaned against Dean's gurney and smiled. "Changed your mind?" Kera asked. Dean was panting, his body slick with sweat, blood running from the corner of his mouth. He looked down at her and his eyes were sparkling with determination.

"Go to hell."

&&&

Sam slammed on the brakes, yanked the key from the ignition and got out of the car. He ran to the trunk like his pants were on fire. He yanked open the back and took a nanosecond to marvel at their own ghost-hunting artillery. He selected Dean's favorite shot gun and then a packet of rock salt, a squirt bottle of gasoline and a lighter.

He'd be damned if he was going to lose Dean now. Before they found Dad, before they got to really, honestly talk.

He slammed the trunk closed and walked towards the church, formulating a plot in his mind. He would shoot them all if he had to. As long as he saved Dean. He didn't care if he had to become a murderer.

He was not going to let Dean slip through his fingers again. Not after everything he had done to him, everything he had put him through. He knew so much more about Dean. He wasn't just his headstrong, cocky older brother. He was just as hurt and confused about their life as Sam was, if not more. Sam would shoot his own foot off before he would let Dean die.

Dean deserved to see the monster that killed their mother die even more than Sam did. And Sam intended on taking him to see it.

&&&

Kera looked up when the church doors slammed. They heard footsteps and she whirled around to look at Eve and Josh.

"Go kill whoever is up there." She ordered and threw her hand towards the door, blowing it open. Dean lifted his head weekly.

"Janie." He whispered. Janie looked at him. "Please, if you just let me take Sam to Sacramento and make sure he finds our Dad, I will come back here and give my heart to you." He promised. Janie looked hopefully at her mother. She shook her head.

"No, you'll be dead before than. We have to do it tonight." She insisted. "It's eleven forty five, almost time." She pulled her spell book from her long flowing dress. He pulled out a long dagger and looked at Janie. "Your hand, dear." Janie held out her hand and let her mother drag the knife along it, slicing down her "life line". "Now, mix your blood with his." Dean smirked at Kera.

"I think we've all ready done that." He said, his voice troubled with exhaustion. "A few times in your bed, actually." Kera snatched the knife from her daughter and pressed it against Dean's chest. She smirked the same way Dean had done.

"Are you going to give her your heart?" Kera asked. Dean shook his head and Kera pressed the blade down harder.

"How about now?" Dean shook his head again. "Too bad, I can tell you've worked hard on this body."

"Sex in your bed burns a lot of calories."

&&&

"Sam!" Eve yelled as soon as she saw him. He cocked the gun at pointed it at her. She raised her hands. "No! Wait, I'm glad to see you. Didn't you get Josh's note?" Sam nodded, keeping the gun trained on it's target.

"I did." He said hesitantly. "Where is Dean?" Sam heard Dean's scream of pain and Sam slid his finger to the trigger. "What are you doing to him?"

"It's not me! It's my mother! You have to help us stop her." Eve took a step toward him, but Sam only thrust the gun towards her more. "I don't want to kill Dean, as much as I love my sister… I can't sacrifice another life for hers." She whispered. "Josh is getting another weapon from your car." Eve explained. She smiled when she saw the look on Sam's face. "He's very sneaky… I wasn't lying when I said he was in the army."

"What do we have to do?" Sam asked, lowering the gun.

"Well, as of right now they can't kill him, but if he gives them permission to take his heart, they will." Eve explained.

"Dean would never agree to that." Sam insisted. Eve shrugged.

"Torture tends to break even the strongest man's will." Sam hated that word. Torture. Not only was it the one word he missed on his seventh grade spelling final, but it was never good when it was used in a sentence, especially when someone he cared about was the topic.

&&&

Dean stared at the bloody markings on his chest. It was a makeshift pentagram, but it would be good enough for whatever Kera was doing. Too bad for her she still didn't have his permission. There was only way for her to get that, and he was safe, Eve had promised that.

Kera was flipping through her spell book and Janie was rubbing the top of Dean's hand, still crying her eyes out.

"No wonder we didn't work out. You're way too emotional for me." Dean said lightly. Janie smiled through her tears and squeezed his hand. He didn't squeeze back, but he didn't drop her hand either. "I won't give my heart to you again, you know that right?" Dean asked. She nodded.

"Only ten minutes left Dean, and this is over. I'm so sorry my mother is doing this to you." She whispered. Dean nodded, but he didn't want to look at her. She wasn't Janie anymore. This hand holding his, it wasn't Janie's.

The door was kicked in and Sam barged into the room. Kera dropped her book and Janie jumped to her feet. Sam ignored both of them and ran straight to Dean.

"Jesus, are you okay?" Sam asked, yanking the binds and to break his brother free. He had gotten his head and one arm free before Kera reacted. Seeing Eve and Josh walk in calmly after Sam was about as affective as a bucket of ice water to the face at three a.m.

"You!" She hissed and pointed at Josh. He flew backwards against the wall, smashing against the cement. Eve screamed his name and ran towards his body.

"Josh." She whispered, dropping to her knees at his side. "Oh, baby." She sobbed. She felt for a pulse, there was one, but it was weak. She wiped her eyes and got to her feet. "How could you?" She screamed at her mother. "I love him! I'm your daughter! He's the father of your granddaughter! How can you be so evil?" Eve ran at her mother, going for the throat. Hell, if there had been a chair on the way she would have grabbed it and gone Jerry Springer on her ass. But they were in a basement, hands would have to do.

Of course, Kera still had that dagger. Janie screamed and covered her face. Dean yelled.

"Eve, no!" He warned, but it was so late. Kera didn't even have to move. She just had to hold out the knife, Eve's own momentum drove it into her stomach. Eve froze, made a gargling sound deep in her throat and looked down at the blood spilling over her fingers. Kera yanked the knife out and watched Eve crumple to the ground. She stuck her nose up.

"You were never my favorite." She whispered and stepped over her daughter's body. Kera walked towards the brothers. Sam stepped in front of Dean and pointed the gun at her.

"Don't come any closer!" Sam ordered, pressing dangerously hard on the trigger. Kera took another step and Sam fired. The bullet hit Kera's shoulder and jerked her around. She turned back to them, ran her hand over the injury and it disappeared. She cocked her head to the side, dreadlocks cascading over her newly reassembled shoulder and smirked.

"Now, what were you saying?" She asked and pointed to Sam. He flew back against the wall, but stayed there.

"Sam!" Dean yelled and yanked his other arm free. He looked at Kera. "Let him go!" She smiled.

"Now, are you ready to give your heart to my daughter? Or will your brother have to die first?" She asked and closed her fist.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** The Past Resurfaces

**Summary:** Recovering from their last job in Wenatchee, Dean gets a call from New Orleans, where he did a solo job helping a family and their voodoo practicing mother. Companion to The Bandage Cuts Me Deeper.

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* * *

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**Chapter three; You Cut Me In Two, I Never Thought I Would Bleed**

Sam yelled in pain as Kera closed her fist. It felt as though thousands of volts of electricity were flowing through his entire body.

"Stop it! I'll do it! Just let my brother go!" He heard Dean yell. Sam slid from the wall to the floor.

"No, Dean…" He groaned, but his voice was merely a whisper. Dean looked at him and smiled.

"Find Dad and kill that thing that killed Mom and Jess for me." Dean whispered. "Take care of my car or I swear I'll haunt your ass." Sam saw Eve crawling towards the gun Sam had dropped earlier. She was alive, but she didn't seem to be able to move her legs. Dean looked at Janie. "I give my…" She shook her head.

"No, Dean please, don't… I don't want you to die." She begged. "Three more minutes…"

"I give my heart to you." Dean repeated. Kera smiled triumphantly. She raised her hand dramatically and whispered something in a language somewhat similar to Latin, but unlike anything Sam had ever heard before. Obviously some sort of tribal language spoken by her Shaman ancestors.

The pentagram on Dean's chest lit up and he closed his eyes tightly as the cuts grew deeper and deeper. His back arched and all though he tried to be strong for Sammy's sake, he couldn't suppress a yell or two. Oh how he wished Sam didn't have to see this. He had all ready seen too many people he loved die.

Eve finally reached the gun. She cocked it and shot at the back of her mother's head. Kera staggered forward and fell to her hands and knees. Dean fell silent, his head drooping forward. Kera got to her feet quickly, apparently getting shot in the head didn't stop her, oh no, because that would make sense. She looked at Eve, her eyes glowing purple, but instead of wasting the valuable time to kill her, she continued with her work.

But Eve had succeeded in more ways than one. Sam ran and dove on the book that had fallen from Kera's robe. She saw him and whispered something else, Dean woke from his merciful unconsciousness as the pain intensified ten fold. Janie couldn't take it. She closed her eyes and threw herself in front of Dean.

Sam soaked the pages with gas, poured the entire case of salt on it and lit it on fire, he barely had time to drop it before it erupted in flames. Kera stopped and looked at her shoulder, it was bleeding. Ten seconds later she fell forward, blood matting her hair.

"Janie!" Dean yelled and yanked himself free. He dropped to his knees and scooped her into his arms. "W…why did you do that?" Dean whispered, tears forming in his hazel eyes. Janie smiled weekly, but her eyes were glassing over and she could no longer see his face.

"Because I love you." She whispered. Dean smiled tearfully and hugged her to his chest. He felt her heart beat against his chest. Then it stopped and Dean gave a shuttering sigh.

"I loved you too." He whispered and set her down. He pulled himself away from her body, hugged his knees to his chest and hid his face. Sam watched as his brother's shoulders shook.

"Josh…" Eve whispered, running her hand along Josh's face. His eyes fluttered open and she sighed. "Thank God."

"Don't do that yet. If I didn't break something I'll still have to go to Iraq." Josh whispered and laughed. He groaned and put his hand on his ribs. "Guess what honey?" He asked. She smiled.

"What?" She asked.

"I'll be home for Christmas." He looked at her. "And your sweater is ruined. Jesus Christ, you have to go to the hospital."

"Dean." Sam whispered and touched his shoulder. Dean didn't answer. "Come on…" He grabbed Dean's arm, but Dean yanked it away.

"Give me a minute." Dean snapped. Sam stood at Dean's side, but gave him breathing room. Dean took a deep breath and lifted his head. He wiped his eyes and struggled to stand. Sam grabbed his arm and lifted him awkwardly.

"Here, let me help you…" Sam whispered. Dean let Sam help him up, then shoved him away. Dean took a step, but fell back to his knees. "Dean." Sam whispered gently. He grabbed Dean's arm, put it across his shoulders and helped him stand. Dean didn't argue because he was trying too hard not to cry.

_"You don't cry over girls… they cry over you." _Dean said to himself. Too bad this time he wasn't fooling anyone.

&&&

"I'm sorry to ask this, but there doesn't appear to be any insurance on file for your brother…" The nurse started. Josh shook his head.

"Sam and Dean are my adopted brothers. My insurance covers them." He explained. The nurse nodded skeptically. Josh nodded at Sam and Sam followed him to the nice waiting room. Josh's arm was in a sling, apparently the only thing broken was his arm. He begged to differ, but X-rays didn't lie.

"So, Eve is going to be okay?" Sam asked. Josh nodded. "That's good." Sam whispered.

"And Dean?" Josh asked, but he knew the answer. Sam nodded.

"Physically." Sam said and smiled slightly. "You know, I never even thought about the Dean having friends… definitely not a girlfriend. It's weird." Sam admitted.

"Dean is a great guy. You're lucky to have him as a brother." Josh said honestly. Sam looked at him, smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, I am."

&&&

Dean was lying in the white hospital bed, staring at the wall, his face emotionless. Sam opened the door slowly and walked in.

"Hey." He whispered. Dean looked at him and then back at the wall. "So, the doctors say you can leave tonight. You just have to take it easy. No contact sports for a while." Sam smiled, but Dean didn't even respond. "Hey, we can stay here for a while if you want. Eve already offered us a room for however long we want." Dean shook his head.

"I just want to find Dad." He explained. Sam walked over to the bed. Dean smiled bitterly and shook his head. "I get why you had all those nightmares now." He looked at Sam. "It hurts, feeling like you killed someone who love."

"What happened to Janie, it wasn't your fault." Sam insisted. Dean breathed out his nose and looked at Sam.

"She died to save me Sam. If I just had sucked it up and…"

"And died Dean? Is that what you were going to say?" Sam yelled angrily. "Oh, and I'm the selfish bastard?" He asked incredulously. "How the hell do you get off saying that to me when you're the one willing to leave when I really need you?" Dean smiled. "Oh great…" Sam said sarcastically. "That wasn't supposed to be funny, Dean." He said angrily.

"It wasn't." Dean whispered. "So, um, are you okay? You hit that wall pretty hard." Sam hit Dean's leg.

"You're the one lying in a hospital bed." Sam reminded him. Dean shrugged.

"Hey, I worry about you."

"Yeah, I love you too, Dean."

&&&

"We are gathered here today to remember two wonderful women who's lives were cut short." Sam looked at his brother who was standing at his side, his eyes cast upon the mahogany casket, the black of his suit flushing out his pale skin. Sam put his hand on Dean's shoulder and smiled when Dean shrugged it off.

"I'm fine, dude." Dean whispered. Eve was standing next to him, Angela hugging her leg, Josh holding her hand, and her other hand held a tissue she kept dabbing at her eyes with. There were several bouquets worth of roses on Janie's casket, but only five on Kera's. Those belonged to Eve, Josh, Angela, Dean and Sam. Of course the brothers had only put them there to be nice to Eve, same with Josh. Angela didn't want to put one on their because pink roses were her favorite, so Eve had taken one from Janie's casket and put it in Angela's hair, knowing Janie would have done it herself if she had been there.

Dean didn't hear the priest talking, or the people around him crying. He barely heard Angela asking Eve when she could go home and play with her new doll. All he heard was Janie's voice.

_"I love you."_ She whispered and kissed his earlobe. Dean smiled and opened his eyes. Her big brown eyes were staring at him. _"You're beautiful, do you know that?"_ She asked him. Dean laughed.

_"Isn't that my line?" _He asked and kissed her full lips. She smiled and rolled back on top of him. She pressed her ear against his chest and listened to his heart. He stroked her hair. _"You're amazing."_ He whispered. She nodded.

_"I know." _She laughed and kissed him again. _"Why do you do, what you do?" _She asked suddenly. Dean sighed and she rose and fell with his chest.

_"Well, something killed my mother. My father was determined to find it ever since… so I guess I'm following him." _

_"Do you want to?" _

_"Yeah, I mean, I want to kill whatever killed my Mom." _

_"If you do, will you stop this?"_ She asked. Dean shrugged.

_"I don't know. Maybe."_ He admitted. She smiled. _"Why?"_

_"Because when you do, I want you to come back to me so we can be together."_ She explained and giggled as she groaned. _"Oh come on, who else would put up with you?"_

_"Probably no one."_ He admitted. He took a deep breath. _"Okay, well, when I kill it and fix my family I will come back here and marry you."_

_"You make big promises Dean Winchester."_ She whispered. He nodded and wrapped his bare arms around her.

_"I don't make ones I can't keep." _

Eve grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. He looked at her and it was like someone turned on the faucet, more and more tears rolled down her cheeks. Dean wrapped an arm around her and she fell against his chest. Sam looked on concernedly as Dean's face twisted in pain, but he didn't push Eve away. Sam smiled. No one in the world could ever call Dean weak; he was the strongest person Sam knew. He always was strong when he needed to be.

&&&

When the service was over, Dean stood at Janie's grave. The marker had a vine of flowers crawling up the side and in message said;

Jane Isabel Malonie

1980-2006

Beloved daughter, sister and friend

You Made The Rainy Days Worth While And The Sunny Days Spectacular

"So, I guess I couldn't keep my promise." Dean whispered. "I had every intention of keeping it… until I got this letter." He pulled out a crinkled piece of paper from his pocket. "I read it fifty times before I got the message." He cleared his throat and read it, slowly. _"Dear Dean…"_ He stopped, getting choked up on the first word, he smiled though there was no humor. "I knew it was bad right away, you always started your love letters with My Sexy Beast or something equally embarrassing." He looked back at the letter. "I don't know how to say this, and I hate that it's in a letter, but I don't exactly know where you are so that's just how it has to be. I don't even _know if you'll get this. I don't even know if you're alive."_ He stopped and pointed to a smudge on the paper. "Is that from a tear? I saw that and I knew it hurt you as much to write this as it did for me to read it." He looked back at the letter. _"But alive or not, I'm sorry to tell you I met someone. He's amazing and I know you would like him. I guess this is me saying goodbye to you. That promise you made me, consider it kept, but I'm cutting you loose. Goodbye Dean. Jane." _Dean was crying now, his voice was strong, but his chin was quivering and tears rolled down his cheeks. He sighed and put his hands down.

"I was so angry at you for this." Dean whispered. He had gotten it the day he and Sam were going to the asylum. It was a great day to get that news. Maybe that's why he gave Sammy that gun. Perhaps his subconscious wanted Sam to kill him, too bad it hadn't been loaded. "I was just going to accept it and move on… I would probably never love again…" he smiled and shrugged. "But hey, Hue Hefner never married and he's the luckiest man on the freaking planet." He laughed and looked up at the sky.

"Anyway." She sighed. "I love you, Janie." He set the letter next to her tombstone and put the vase of roses Eve had left over it. "I left you a little something on the note." He looked down at his finger and kissed his ring. "If you don't mind…" he stood up. "I think I'll keep this." Then he walked towards Sam who was waiting with Eve and Josh by the Impala.

"You guys heading out?" Josh asked. Sam looked at Dean who nodded.

"You sure? We have an extra room now…" She stopped. "It'd be nice to have to around." She added. Dean shook his head.

"We have to go to Sacramento and find our Dad." Dean explained. He hugged Eve softly. "But I'll call." She rolled her eyes and rubbed his back.

"Sure you will." She said sarcastically. She pulled away and smiled at Sammy. "Thanks." She whispered and walked over to Josh who put his arm around her. "Oh, and heads up for a wedding invite." She said with a smile and kissed Josh.

Josh nodded at Dean. "You're my best man." Josh explained. Dean smiled.

"What, you don't have any friends?" Dean asked. Josh smiled. "Well, we'll see you around then."

"I hope so." Eve added and waved as they got into their car. Dean started the car and drove off. Sam watched Josh and Eve get smaller and smaller in their rear view mirror, but Dean never looked back.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** The Past Resurfaces

**Summary:** Recovering from their last job in Wenatchee, Dean gets a call from New Orleans, where he did a solo job helping a family and their voodoo practicing mother. Companion to The Bandage Cuts Me Deeper.

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**Epilogue **

Sam looked over at Dean. His hands were cupped loosely around the wheel and his face was emotionless. Sam let out his breath.

"So…" Sam said tiredly and stretched. "Any other secret relationships in your past?" Sam asked. Dean looked at him, his mouth in a slight smirk, looked back at the road and shook his head. "That's good."

"What about you? Was it just Jess at school?" Dean asked. Sam nodded. "Sammy, my dear little virginal Sammy." Dean joked.

"Hey, for all I know you could be a virgin too. I think you're all talk." Sam said with a grin. Dean looked at him, his eyebrows raised, a sly smile on his face.

"Sam, if I told you all my sex stories your eyes would be rolling in their sockets." Dean said honestly. Sam breathed out in nose.

"You're the biggest jerk ever, how do you even get girls?" Sam asked, and immediately regretted that question. "Wait, don't answer that." Dean smiled. "So, you're okay?" Sam asked. Dean nodded.

"I'm always okay." Dean insisted. His phone rang. "Get that will you?" Dean asked as he took a sharp turn along the dark highway. Sam grabbed the phone and looked at the front screen, the call was restricted.

"Eve is a pushy girl, isn't she?" Sam asked and answered the phone laughing. "We're twenty miles away, Evie. What?" Sam asked.

"Sam?"

"Dad?"

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The End.


End file.
